DEMS batter G.O.P. Senator Conrad Burns w/ TV ads to Lobby Furor

[stop the bleeding]

By DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK
Published: March 1, 2006

GREAT FALLS, Mont., Feb. 27 — At a meeting with Senator Conrad Burns here last weekend, the Little Shell Chippewa tribe presented him with ropes of woven sweetgrass, a ceremonial tobacco pouch and a traditional drum dance. But it was the blank envelope one speaker slipped to the senator that attracted the most attention.

"There is no money in it!" James Parker Shield, vice chairman of the tribe, protested to roars of laughter — a joke everyone knew referred to Mr. Burns's ties to Jack Abramoff, the Republican lobbyist who has pleaded guilty to defrauding American Indians of millions of dollars and engaging in schemes to bribe members of Congress.

In the first salvo of the 2006 midterm elections, Democrats have battered Mr. Burns with a series of television commercials telling voters that he received more contributions from Mr. Abramoff and his associates than any other member of Congress — $150,000 — and accusing him of doing more for the lobbyist than he has for Montanans. The attacks have turned Montana into a closely watched test of efforts by Democrats to turn allegations of corruption among Republicans into the unifying theme of their Congressional campaigns.

Polls indicate that the Democratic commercials have already erased any edge Mr. Burns may have had over the leading contenders in the Democratic primary. But Mr. Burns says he has done nothing wrong. And interviews with dozens of Montanans suggest that riding the corruption charges to victory at the polls may not be easy for Democrats, in part because of public cynicism about politicians of both parties. What's more, many voters here say they may be willing to shrug off the allegations because, like many incumbents, the senator can also use his influence to benefit them by bringing home a disproportionate share of federal spending.

~snip~

"I don't think there is a challenger we have that isn't using the issue" of ethics and corruption, said Senator Charles E. Schumer of New York, chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, which paid for the Montana commercials.

Democrats say they hope to connect the scandals to more general dissatisfactions with the Republican Congress, and Montana's Democrats are working from exactly that playbook.

"It is about corruption of the lawmaking process," said John Morrison, Montana's state auditor and the leading Democratic candidate to oppose Mr. Burns.



Read full article here:

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/01/politics/01burns.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

[Lindsay]

1. Waddaya know...the Dems are actually doing

the kind of thing people have complained that they weren't doing.

And at least one corporate media outlet has reported it.

Will wonders never cease? ;)

[havocmom]

2. Several posts in the Montana Forum on Burns and his tricks

It's not only the DEMS beating on him, thought he is happy to credit them for all his troubles ;)

Recently an advocacy group for the elderly took him to task pretty good too.

About the Abramoff related $$ he tried to 'give back' by actually giving it to a whole different group turned sour and the group refused his offer of the money. See, their one registered lobbyist was a former Burns aid. A lot of us raised questions about whether that was on the up and up. The leadership of the tribal charity thought it looked bad too and said no thanks to Burns.

Makes me wonder about all the other pols 'giving the $$ back' by giving it to third party 'charities' How many others have former legislative aides in high places and how do we know the $$ isn't just getting laundered? ALL constituents of all the pols ned to look into what charities their own 'reps' are giving Abramoff related $$ to.

I have to laugh about Burns' complaining (and the GOP's too, for that matter) that the DEMS are picking on him. I have seen HIS ads over a dozen times. Have yet to see any against him. Have sure caught, and passed along, a lot of news articles about the shit he has pulled thought! :D

Just today, the Burns group is resorting to playing the 'seniority card'. Seems a bit early in the contest to have to pull that one. Big news for Burns: All the talk I hear is that people are willing to trade his seniority for an honest man! LOL When that happens in Montana, where we only have our two Senators and one wimpy Congressman, you gotta know people are PISSED!

I live in probably the reddest county in the state, if not the nation, and NOBODY has anything nice to say about Burns anymore. NOBODY.

Bloggers are making a difference! The truth is sinking into heads in the damnedest places.

Meanwhile, our DEM governor is winning friends & influencing people.

Jag for First dog, in a few more years.

on edit: spelling and late hour

[badgerpup]

3. got me own gripes against Burns...

..guy is a lockstep Bushbot.
When I contact his office about 'a matter of concern' I receive a very condescending piece of boilerplate telling me basically that he, as a Republican, knows best and will follow the party line but thanks for my input. :grr:
I don't know which pisses me off more; the politics or the condescension. :banghead:

[havocmom]

5. I share your pain

Makes working against the lying, cheating, patronizing SOB all that easier! :D

[ItsTheMediaStupid]

7. Same crap I get from Warner and Allen in VA

Don't even acknowledge what you said, just repeat talking points against it.

[stop the bleeding]

4. I asked this same question when the Abramoff scandal broke and

I received only a few responses

Makes me wonder about all the other pols 'giving the $$ back' by giving it to third party 'charities' How many others have former legislative aides in high places and how do we know the $$ isn't just getting laundered? ALL constituents of all the pols ned to look into what charities their own 'reps' are giving Abramoff related $$ to.


also I posted this thread asking about other lobbyist in the scandal, afterall most people do not work alone, see reply #8 if you read the OP

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=364&topic_id=48301

[havocmom]

6. Sorry I have missed your posts on the subject

It is one I really like to pump up because I really feel it is the root of all the shit destroying America. And I love the chance to harp on it, figuring the more posts it go off on the subject, the more lurking readers I may reach and start thinking. ;)

I see we share a common view of the situation. Here's a deal: PM me when you make a post on this sort of thing. That way, I won't miss it and may be helpful at keeping it kicked so you get more viewers. I am in and out at odd times, so kicking a good thread is pretty easy for me, so long as I have seen it to begin with.

Seriously, PM me with links when you start, or find treads on this one cuz I really want more people to find info, start thinking about all the aspects and get to talking it up with others. We have to take our Congress back from the corporations or we are doomed to become a Third World Nation. This has been my basic platform for over 2 decades now.

Thanks!
hm

[Brooklyn Michael]

8. This quote explains why we have an idiot in office....

...and, unfortunately, explains a LOT about Americans in general:

"What's more, many voters here say they may be willing to shrug off the allegations because, like many incumbents, the senator can also use his influence to benefit them by bringing home a disproportionate share of federal spending."

This is why people vote conservative. This is why Karl Rove's "strategeries" work....WAY too many people in this country think first and foremost about one person - THEMSELVES. It doesn't matter what happens to other people, as long as I've got mine, that's all that matters. If it's no $$$ out of MY pocket, I'll give lip service to a cause. But if something actually requires SACRIFICE FOR THE GREATER GOOD, well then, the good can't be all that GREAT, can it? You can literally cover yourself in the stank of lies and corruption, and as long as you look people directly in the eye and tell them you're going to get a special deal for THEM - no one else, mind you, JUST THEM - they'll tell you the shit smells just like roses....

I could continue ranting on how this problem is worse in middle-America, suburbs and exurbs, and better in metropolitan areas (where people, by sheer proximity to each other, are forced to understand how others live and that what's good for the group at large is good for the individual), but I haven't had my coffee yet....

:rant: :mad: :grr: